Jan. 8,
2009--George
Washington University students are preparing a float for the Inaugural
Parade. Above, in a January 7 photo, GW engineering students
check the characteristics
of a 15-foot diameter inflated globe, which will represent the Elliott
School of International
Affairs on the float, to get a sense of how it might behave in
the event of inclement weather.

Student Association President Vishal Aswani and Charlie Burgoyne,
Student Association executive director of programming and activities,
are overseeing the project, which has a budget
allocation of $85,000. In addition to supplies, some of the money
is going to housing and food for students working on the float.
At any one time as many as 20 or 30 students are assembling various
aspects of the float in the parking garage of the Academic Center
building, while others are out obtaining supplies. Aswani and
Burgoyne had considered outsourcing construction of the float, but that
would have cost $300,000.

The float will consist of a 33-foot trolley pulling two 20-foot
trailers, nicknamed "Freedom" and "Independence." With the
trailer hitches added in, the total length is 83 feet. About 30
people will be riding the trailers and another two dozen or so will be
in the trolley. All nine schools of The George Washington
University will be
represented. Burgoyne wants students and members of the GW
community to see the float and recognize, "Hey, that's what I'm a part
of." He produced the initial design in the latter part of October
using TurboCAD, and the proposal was submitted to the Presidential
Inaugural Committee on November 14. The design has undergone a
number of minor changes to make it more fluid.

Burgoyne said the biggest challenge thus far has been gathering all the
supplies needed, but they should be in hand this afternoon. He
estimated the team is about twelve hours ahead of schedule at this
point.

Charlie Burgoyne (second from left) discusses the progress of the float
with fellow
students.

ed. notes:
Feb. 2009--Despite the tests, the globe ripped
apart during a pre-parade pep rally on the evening of Jan. 19 and was
replaced with an American flag. See: Lauren French. "Four
months of work culminate as GW float rolls down Penn Ave." The GW Hatchet. Jan. 22, 2009.

April 2009--The final cost of the float was about $134,000. See:
Sarah Scire. "Inaugural float cost more than $130K." The GW Hatchet. April 16,
2009.